A trip to Pinnawala (Sri Lanka)

Before yesterday, I had never even heard of Pinnawala. We docked in Sri Lanka shortly after sunrise with no plans except perhaps a tuk tuk ride to a local mall and lunch off the ship. I had no idea when I woke that a few hours later I would be buying souvenirs made from recycled elephant dung! lol At breakfast, a friend offered us 2 excursion tickets to visit an elephant orphanage. Unfortunately, his wife had caught a cold and didn’t feel up to going. Since we had nothing exciting planned, we accepted their kind offer and hurriedly dressed to go.

Here’s the tour description. This tour includes 3 hours of travel time each way and 1 ½ hours of walking with uneven surfaces and steps. It is not suitable for guests who utilize a wheelchair. Tour duration may vary depending on traffic; feeding and bathing schedules vary based on animal availability and river conditions. Guests should keep a safe distance from the elephants, as they are not fully tamed and may sometimes be kept in chains for safety. The Orphanage is a public site with other visitors present. There are steep, potentially slippery steps near the river and within the grounds, and the tour involves significant walking. Drive to Pinnawala (approx. 2 hours). Comfort stop at Ambepussa (approx. 15 minutes). Continue to Pinnawala (approx. 1 hour). Walk toward the river to view the elephants (approx. 30 minutes). Lunch (approx. 1 hour), Proceed to the Elephant Orphanage and explore the premises (approx. 45 minutes). Drive to Ambepussa (approx. 1 hour). Comfort stop (approx. 15 minutes). Drive back to the pier (approx. 2 hours). Notice there is no mention of the HEAT (that is to be expected)!

A 3 hour bus ride each way to Pinnawala sounded somewhat daunting, but it actually turned out to be quite pleasant since the bus was new and comfortable with good AC. I took the book I’m reading to pass the time, but never even opened it. Just looking out the window and seeing Sri Lankans going about their daily lives is quite fascinating. However, trying to get decent photos from a moving bus window is mostly a waste of time. See what I mean??

 

Traffic is heavy, and there are more tuk tuks than cars in Sri Lanka. And of course lots of motorcycles. How many people can fit inside a tuk tuk? A bunch! The back seat is enclosed and they move at the same speed as cars, so it’s impossible to count. But I can attest that they are sometimes a family affair. So are motorcycles, sometimes with an entire family in tow.

 

there a tuk...

here a tuk...

 

cars, motorcycles, buses and tuk tuks

I also observe from the bus window that many people have their own small tables set up along the roadsides. Most are selling fresh coconuts. I also see bananas and other produce for sale; some women are selling cashew nuts. I see flooded rice fields, pencil-thin men in sarongs, Hindu and Buddhist temples and stray dogs lying beside the road. Our guide talked almost all the entire way, explaining many things about his home country to first time visitors.

Sri Lanka (formerly called Ceylon) changed its name in 1972. Ceylon tea is world-renowned, and its export is a major industry. Many spices are grown here. He explained how cinnamon bark is collected. Ceylon cinnamon provides over 80% of the world’s supply. In addition to tea and cinnamon, rubber and coconut are other important exports. Many spices such as pepper, vanilla, curry leaves, cumin, turmeric, cardamom, nutmeg and ginger grow here as well.

Locals love their spicy foods! They are big on curry, sometimes eating rice and curry 3 times a day. Of course coconut and coconut milk are used in many of their dishes. We enjoyed a lunch buffet but not being very adventurous eaters, we pretty much stayed with what we recognized and steered clear of the peppery hot and spicy sauces. I noticed a number of “hotels” that didn’t appear to be hotels at all. I later read that Sri Lankans often refer (and advertise) restaurants, cafes and bars as hotels! So if you ever decide to visit, be careful not to book your stay at a restaurant!

Regarding religion, Buddhism makes up about 70% of the religions practiced in Sri Lanka. As of the 2024 census, 69.8% were Buddhist, 12.6% were Hindu, 10.7% were Muslim and 7.6% were Christian (mostly Catholic). Our Hindu guide explained that if something is bothering him, he will go to the temple and pray to a tree!? There is even a Temple of the Tooth that supposedly houses one of Buddha’s teeth, and a 10 day annual festival to celebrate it.

 

our tour guide for Elephant Orphanage

After 3 or so hours, we finally reached the Elephant Orphanage. Our guide was really good. Here he's explaining all of the "tools of the trade" for keeping and managing elephants, most all of which are made from natural products. Below are some facts about the Asian elephant's trunk.

 

I thought this was especially cute when I saw these two (below). It reminded me of how people use their thumbs and forefingers to form a heart. I googled it and sure enough, it is a sign of affection. 🐘💕🐘 

 

aww...

 

The elephant is a national symbol in Sri Lanka. I wish I had a nickel for every elephant souvenir I saw. You can read more about the Elephant Orphanage here.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pinnawala_Elephant_Orphanage

 

elephants and mahout at the orphanage

 

Their trainers or caretakers are called mahouts. They are responsible for feeding, bathing and managing the elephants daily routines. From what I could tell, there was one mahout per elephant. They used the sticks to get the elephants to lie down and then splashed water on them. There was also a powerful hose that was used to spray them. The elephants appeared to be enjoying it and wouldn't get up until the mahout gave him the signal to.

 

reminded me of kids playing in the sprinkler!

not dead - just enjoying a good soak

view from restaurant balcony

After taking photos from the vantage point of the balcony where we ate lunch, I walked back up the narrow street with souvenirs on both sides. I bought a few notebooks at a store where everything was made from elephant dung. The papers are made by harvesting, cleaning, boiling and blending the fiber rich waste into pulp. Because elephants digest only about 45% of their vegetarian diet, their dung contains vast amounts of undigested plant fiber, reducing the need for wood pulp. The process sanitizes the waste, supposedly leaving no smell or bacteria, resulting in a sustainable, handmade paper. What will they think of next?

Anyway, as I was coming out of the store, I was shocked to see these guys (below) walking by - mere feet from me! I stepped back, took a couple of shots and waited for them to get by, then followed them back to the river.

 

after you...

watch your step!

Soon after the elephants had walked up the street and returned to the river, our group headed to the orphanage to learn more about its operation and see the ones who were kept separate due to physical disabilities. Of course there is always one last chance to purchase souvenirs and our leaving was not lost on the store merchants.

 

please take a look

carved coconut faces